Ella Ticked Off
by Wynngurl
Summary: Ella leaves after recieving Char's letter saying that he loves her. She heads towards the elves, but her travel is interrupted when she is kidnapped. Would anyone like to buy an obedient slave?
1. Slave Trade

DISCLAIMER: As much as I'd like to own Ella Enchanted, because it happens to be the best version of Cinderella ever, I don't.  
  
NOTE: I absolutely love this book! Why couldn't Gail Carson Levine write another book on Ella? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to read other people's fanfics. If you review, I will almost definitely read and review at least one of you stories, so review, review, review! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Ella loved Prince Charmont with all her heart, and he had just proposed to her through his letter! How could she say no? She couldn't ! Her love for him was so strong... but it would never be possible for her to live with him, to love him, to be married to him; she was cursed.  
  
She wrote a letter to her beloved, making believe that she had married some old man for his money. She hoped that the prince would believe the lie she was forcing herself to tell. She loved Char, but he would be hurt if she married him.  
  
That night, she packed up a few of her things, what little she still owned, and crept down to the kitchen. There, she put the letter to Char on the cutting counter with instructions to Mandy to send it. Then, she took a last look around the place she knew so well, the floors she had cleaned so many times, and the pots she had attempted to cook with. She had to leave it all behind.  
  
She savored the memory of Mandy and the nicer girls that worked there. She would miss them terribly, but there was no reason for her to stay there after she had lost all hope of being with Char, her one true love.  
  
So, she set off into the woods, making her way down the same path she had taken to go to finishing school and later to see the giants. She managed to travel a few miles before daybreak. When she was too tired to go on, and the sun was peeping out from behind the trees, Ella found a tree with sturdy branches, and she hid herself within its leaves. She fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
Ella woke with a start. There were noises beneath her. She looked down only to see Mum Olga and Hattie calling out her name. Ella breathed a sigh of relief as they gave up and went back to their home. She was exceptionally glad that they had not thought of ordering her to come down if she could hear them.  
  
Once she was sure they were gone, Ella climbed down her tree and headed out again. She walked for days, after that. She loved the freedom of no one bossing her about, but she hated the price— she would never see her Char again.  
  
About a week into her journey, Ella opened the magic book to find a letter from Mandy inside. As she read it, she almost began crying. It said:  
  
Dearest Ella,  
  
You darling girl! Why did you not come to me? You know I would have come with you, but I expect you decided that you needed to do this alone. Lady, please remember that I love you like my own child. I am hurting with you right now, though I know you did the right thing. Darling, know that you may always call on me in a time of trouble, and I will come to you as fast as I can. Just remember— no big magic.  
  
Love,  
Mandy  
  
Ella missed her terribly. Ever since her mother died, she had been all Ella had. Ella loved her so much, even if she did become irritated with Mandy at times when she wouldn't use big magic. She was really happy that Mandy had written to her.  
  
She turned a page in her book, only to see a much less welcome sight: a picture of Char burning all of her letters. She cried over this and the entry from his journal. It said all kind of nasty things about Ella and her double-facedness. He swore never to write or think about her again.  
  
Ella closed the book and said, "It is all for the best."  
  
"Of course it is, Dear," replied a voice behind her, right before it hit her over the head. She was knocked unconscious.  
  
Ella woke up with a groan. Rubbing her head, she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a cell of some sort. There was little in it. She saw two other people lying on the ground quite close by, one was a boy and the other a girl, both about the same age as herself.  
  
She had a moment of panic when she realized that she no longer had her magic book. However, the girl in the corner stirred, and , upon seeing Ella, flashed her a grin.  
  
"Looking for this?" the scruffy girl asked. She held up the book.  
  
"Oh! Yes! Thank you!" replied Ella, quickly taking her precious book from the girl.  
  
"I never saw anyone so excited about a book of fairy tales before."  
  
"My godmother gave it to me. How did you get it? And where are we?"  
  
"We have been caught by the Cralitch, slave traders. I overheard the man who brought you in talking to his wife. As to that book, I saw him flip through it and put it into his pocket. I snitched it the first chance I got. I figured it must be yours."  
  
"Thank you so very much. My name is Ella. I am pleased to meet you."  
  
"Ella, eh? You don't act like an Ella. You are too prim and proper. I bet your name is much longer than that. Tell me your real name."  
  
An order. "Eleanor," she said. She added, "But I much prefer Ella."  
  
"Alright... Ella it is, then. My name is Tempest, Tem for short. I got caught yesterday, but that boy there was here before I got here. He hasn't woken up yet. Maybe he's dead." She peered uninterestedly at him. "I don't really like boys."  
  
Ella crawled over to the boy to see whether or not he really was dead, but he was breathing. She poked his arm. He didn't move.  
  
Ella sat back on her heels and turned once again to Tem. She sat there with nothing to do, until finally, she started singing:  
  
Floods flow from my eyes, Blood flows from my heart. I have said my good byes, Though I hate to be apart.  
  
Why did I have to leave? Why did my love fly away? Why has my heart been cleaved? How can I keep these feelings at bay?  
  
Floods flow from my eyes, Blood flows from my heart. I have said my good byes, Though I hate to be apart.  
  
Ella stopped singing, and all she could do was think of Char. Her daydreams were interrupted by a voice out of the corner.  
  
"What song were you singing?"  
  
Ella turned to see the boy sitting up, looking at her. He looked strangely familiar, but she couldn't place a resemblance.  
  
"It was a song of mourning for those who are dead and have left us."  
  
"Who died?"  
  
Me. Ella thought, but she said, "Nobody." 


	2. Friends

DISCLAIMER: I give all credit to Gail Carson Levine for the characters in her book.  
  
NOTE: OMG! I can't believe how many people actually reviewed my first chapter! I love you all! Thanks to: Lollipop5, Wolf Maid, LolaQ, "awaiting impatient person", Tempting Desire, Rambling Thestral, MyOwnLittleWorld, Wake-Robin, and Lady of Storms. I just wrote that chapter because I was ticked off (note the title) at my language arts teacher. She told me that I can't write, so I wrote this just to prove her wrong. Due to the overwhelming popularity of this fic, I guess I'll continue it. Thanks again! Oh! And please read my LOTR fanfic, Lonesome Dove. I think all fans of Ella will like my character Gamine. READ AND REVIEW!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Ella and Tempest came up with an agreement that night: Tem would take watch half of the night and eavesdrop on their captors, and Ella would take the other half. It was Ella's turn now, and she listened to any noises that came from outside of her cell.  
  
She also kept a close eye on the boy. After a while, she gave up on figuring out who he looked like. He did resemble someone, though.  
  
He hadn't offered his name to either girl, nor did he move after Ella answered his question. He had laid back down and stayed there. Ella did not worry about him too much, though.  
  
She started when she heard a woman come to the cell. Ella thought it might be the kidnapper's wife, but when the woman came out of the shadows, she could see that the woman was much younger than the man's wife was.  
  
"Who are you?" Ella asked.  
  
The woman shook her head and put her finger to her lips. She put a key into the lock of the door and opened it up. Quickly, she slipped a plate into the cell. The plate had four white rolls, a pastry, and a few medallions of meat that looked like pork.  
  
The girl nodded at Ella and smiled before locking the door again and melting back into the shadows. Ella looked at the food hungrily, for she had not eaten for hours.  
  
She turned to Tem, who slept at her side, and prodded her awake.  
  
"Tem! Tem!" She whispered excitedly.  
  
"What? I'm sleepin'!" Tem said groggily and rolled over.  
  
"There's food! Tem! There's food!"  
  
Tem sat up immediately. "Food? Where?"  
  
"Over there!" Ella scrambled over and woke the boy up, too. "Come on! We have some food— let's eat!"  
  
The boy followed her to the plate, a bit suspiciously. But once he saw the food, his eyes lit up. He reached for one of the rolls.  
  
"Hands off!" Tem ordered him.  
  
"Tem!" Ella said, exasperatedly. "The food is for him, too."  
  
Ella divided the food among them all so that each had some meat, bread, and pastry. The trio sat munching on the food, enjoying themselves for the first time they had been in the cell. Once they were finished, Ella asked:  
  
"Do either of you know who that girl who brought the food is?"  
  
"Nope, and I don't care, neither," said the girl.  
  
"Hmm..." she turned to the boy. "What is your name? I can't keep calling you 'Boy' in my head."  
  
The boy murmured something that Ella couldn't hear. She moved a bit closer.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I said that you could call me... Reginald."  
  
Ella nodded. "Well, it is nice to meet you Reginald. My name is Eleanor. You can call me Ella."  
  
He looked at her strangely, but said, "Call me Gin."  
  
Ella would forever have to call him 'Gin' now— He had ordered her to. "Gin, then."  
  
Tempest burst out laughing.  
  
Gin turned indignantly. "What's so funny?" he demanded.  
  
"It's jus' that you two seem to be people that wouldn't hang out with me if yous were in your real homes. You people have funny long names and I'd bet anythin' that you were both rich once. I jus' think it's funny."  
  
Ella and Gin looked at each other and saw that Tem was right.  
  
Tem stood up and, with her most serious face, said, "Milady and Milord—" She curtsied to them, holding up the imaginary skirts of a dress. She broke out laughing once again, unable to hold it all in.  
  
Soon after, Gin and Ella joined in. It really was kind of funny.  
  
"Now, Lady Ella, join me at our dinner," Gin teased, standing up and bowing to her. She took his arm and tried to find someway to complete the second part of the command; she had joined him, but she couldn't find another supper anywhere to go to.  
  
She started to become dizzy. Her head felt as if it were going to burst. The only thing that held her up was the arm that she had linked her own through. She doubled over, feeling as if she were going to see her meal again.  
  
"Ella, what's wrong?" asked Gin worriedly.  
  
When she couldn't answer, he eased her to the ground, so she wouldn't fall over. "Just take deep breaths. Steady yourself. Sit down. Come on now."  
  
Ella stood up straight and then sat down. She breathed so deeply that it almost sounded as if she were hyper ventilating.  
  
"You have to calm down, Ella!" Tempest said, agitatedly. When Ella didn't, for Tem had requested it, not commanded it, Tem slapped her hard across the face. "CALM DOWN!"  
  
Ella felt relaxed all of the sudden. She felt no anxiety over anything. "Thank you for helping me, Gin, and you, too, Tem," she said, airily.  
  
"Are you feeling alright?" Gin asked.  
  
"I have never felt so calm in my life."  
  
"Uh huh. I think you need to go lie down, Ella."  
  
"Okay..." she stood up and dreamily went to the corner and laid down. There she went to sleep.  
  
Tem turned to Gin. "You know, I don't think that gal is stable."  
  
"Maybe... And maybe she has just had a long day. I suppose we'll see tomorrow," he answered, as if he had had a long life.  
  
So, with that the two new friends took a last look at Ella in the corner, and they both went to sleep themselves. 


	3. The Calm Before the Storm

DISCLAIMER: While I love the idea of one day owning the rights to Ella Enchanted, I know it will not be so. I must write my own book one day so that everyone else can write fanfics about it... sigh  
  
NOTE: Thank you all sooooo much for giving me so many reviews. I am truly flattered. I really do try and keep my spelling and grammar correct. I really enjoy it when a story is properly formatted, as well. It really adds quality to the story, in my opinion, which is why I spend time on making this well formatted.  
  
I am sorry it took me so extremely long to update. I felt like I was hitting my head against the wall every time I tried to sit down and write this chapter, so if it sucks, I am sorry. However, I believe that this chapter gives a look at Tem and Gin's personalities. If you look at the way I am creating their speech patterns, I am sure you will see the difference in education. Also, keep in mind (for later chapters) that ignorance is not necessarily based on book learning. Many people can be uneducated, and yet not ignorant.  
  
If I had to suggest two fanfic authors that you had to read, I would choose Rambling Thestral and Three Amigas. These people are such amazing writers! (of coyurse, I am being a bit biased on the Three Amigas one— I am helping to write it. Oh well.)  
  
Also, I would really appreciate it if someone took the time to read my story on fictionpress. I haen't gotten any reviews on it so far. It is called 'Billy', and it is a thriller-romance story. It is totally original, and I have the next chapter, but I want some reviews before I post it.  
  
Thanks again for reviewing! I love you all!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Ella woke up, her head strangely light and free of worry. She knew in her brain that she ought to be anxious about what was going to happen to her, but she could not bring herself to be troubled by her uncertain future. She sat up and looked around the little cell without a care in the world.  
  
She stared at a stream of light coming in through a tiny hole high up in the dirty, rutted wall. She was mesmerized by it, in fact. She sat there looking at the light in a kind of hypnotic trance until a movement in the corner of her eye startled her. She turned to see Tem directly behind her.  
  
"Whatcha lookin' at, eh?" asked Tempest with her scraggly black hair all disheveled. Ella seriously doubted that any comb would ever get all of the knots out of the girl's hair.  
  
"Just a little light coming in. The dust dances in it... almost like a ballet. See how the dust is black like ashes? A song one of my friends used to sing would accompany the dance beautifully. See how they move as if to some unknown beat? It could be called the 'Cinder Promenade.' They are all drifting together in a sad way. Maybe they miss their homes... I could understand that." Ella described the scene airily.  
  
"I don't see nutin'. You're loony."  
  
And indeed, there was nothing to be seen when Ella turned back around to her 'Cinder Promenade.' She rushed to the decrepit wall, and climbed it so that she could see through the heart-shaped crack in it. When she was finally able to see the outside world through the tiny rift, she saw that dark clouds had covered the sun.  
  
The light ballerinas had indeed been ashes; Ella could see a chimney on top of the home right next to the prison she was being held in. The smoke coming from its mouth was a chalky black color from the mix of charcoal and wood that must have been burning in its fireplace.  
  
Ella sighed. She felt calm, as she had been directed to be, but the order had not prevented the deep wave of sadness that the disappearance of the sunray had created. It swept over Ella, but she refused to let it take control of her.  
  
She turned to Tempest and Gin, who had just woken up and still had the crust of sleep in the corners of his eyes, and she looked at them. And looked at them. And looked at them.  
  
Tem and Gin, after a full minute of Ella's staring, looked at each other and silently agreed. They stalked over to Ella, each taking an arm, and pushed her to the floor in a dirty corner. Then, they went to the opposite corner to confer.  
  
"I tol' ya she's loony. She ain't right, I'm tellin' ya!" whispered Tem.  
  
"She is not crazy, Tem. She has just had a very rough time. We have to help her to gather her wits about her before..." Gin trailed off.  
  
"Before what? Do you know somethin' more than I do?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Tell me, dang it! If it concerns me, I best be hearin' about it. If you don't tell me, I will knock the brain out of that head of yours! If you have one, that is!" Tem threatened.  
  
"You'd do no such thing, Tempest. I am not afraid of you. Anyway, before you came... Well, our captors were talking right outside the door— they though I was asleep, you understand. They were speaking about their intentions with us. You already are aware of the fact that these men are slave traders— Cralitch that is— and that they mean to make a profit by us. However, they are not sure that any of us are mild enough to be satisfactory slaves. If they find anything unsatisfactory with us..."  
  
"For goodness sakes! What is wrong with you? I haven't understood one word that's come out o' your mouth! Can't ya spit out what you're gonna say already?"  
  
Gin looked a bit like a bird that had had his feathers ruffled. "What I am trying to say is that our captors will beat any unsatisfactory qualities out of us if they find them. That means," he said deliberately to Tem, "that Ella will get hurt if she does not stop acting the way she is right now."  
  
"Oh! So that's what ya meant! Well, why didn't ya say that in the first place?"  
  
"But, I di—"  
  
"Aaw.. Shut your trap. It isn't doin' any of us any good."  
  
With that, Tem walked over to Ella. "Stop actin' this way, you idiot! They'll whip you if they see you like this!"  
  
Ella jumped up, no longer sad, for she could no more be sad at that moment than fly. Then again, since she could no longer act the way she had been acting the previous moment, she could no longer be calm.  
  
In order to counteract her previous actions, she became excessively hyper. She ran around the cell, trying to use up the energy that she had so newly acquired.  
  
"Stop!" yelled Tem.  
  
Ella stopped, her arms in the air caught mid-movement. She had stretched them out to the point that she almost looked like a bird flapping its wings. One of her legs was still in the air behind her.  
  
"What are ya doin'?" Tempest asked.  
  
"Yes, Ella. Please explain what you are doing. Your actions have confused me greatly," chimed in Gin.  
  
"I am perfecting my balance," Ella lied. This was the first time she had spoken since her description of the ash dance. She had been unable to compose herself in such a manner that would allow her to speak in a coherent manner.  
  
"Well, then... Stop 'perfecting your balance.' It is humorous, but you could hurt yourself," commanded Gin.  
  
Ella put her arms and legs down gratefully.  
  
"Ella, you need to be careful. From what I have seen of you so far, you have a very free spirit. No one is going to buy a free-spirited slave. Control your emotions and let no one see them. You must put on a mask if you are to be sold to a good employer."  
  
Ella's face became blank of all emotion. She did not look sad, angry, happy, or even dimwitted. She looked... emotionless. That is all.  
  
"'Ow'd ya do that?" Tempest asked.  
  
"I used to be an actress," was Ella's simple lie.  
  
A/N: I know that this chapter doesn't seem to have much 'meat', but it is going to tie in a bit later. I just wanted to try my hand at some imagery and speech patterns. Stay tuned for the next chappie! It will be much, much more exciting!  
  
I will put the next chapter up on Friday if I get six or more reviews by then. That doesn't mean that you don't have to review if there are already six reviews. I absolutely love reviews! Thanks! 


	4. Horrible Surprise

DISCLAIMER: ... Yep.  
  
ABBY'S NOTE: Sorry it's so short guys, but my friend, Rambling Thestral is here, and she needs help with a short humor fic. If everybody reads it, and reviews with praises for Dashboard Confessional, she will love you forever! Poll for the day: Which of the following books/series is your favorite: Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter, or Song of the Lioness? Please answer quickly! I'll give everyone who answers 5 Reviewer Points! (And by the way, I do know that I actually posted this on Saturday, I'm sorry... I lost my Internet privileges for the Friday—Sorry.)  
  
Chapter 4 Even though Ella seemed to be in a peaceful and untroubled state, she was churning with curiosity underneath the surface. Her thoughts continued to veer towards the young woman she had met the night before. Who was she? What had motivated the lady to bring them food, apparently against their captors' will? Why was she being kind to those who were obviously beneath her? Ella had too many questions that had no answers.  
  
She tried to comfort herself by opening up her magic book. She found a picture of Olive, stuffing her face with white cakes. Mandy was standing over her with a spatula, and was trying to shoo her out of the kitchen. Ella almost laughed, but she obviously couldn't. Her momentary happiness drifted away, however, as she turned the page to find a picture of the king and queen and Char's little sister. Each one was listening to the news that a messenger had come to tell them. The queen was stony-face, and the king was cold-eyed, but Char's little sister was bawling in her mother's lap.  
  
Ella looked at the page, inwardly horrified as she realized what the messenger was holding out to Their Majesties— it was a bloody cloak that Ella had seen on Char many a time.  
  
She snapped the book shut, angry that she couldn't cry, or yell, or beat the wall in frustration. Her inner being yearned to break free from her body's emotionless hold, but its attempts were hopeless, for the order still held Ella firm.  
  
Her grief was interrupted as the cell door creaked open. She looked up to see the man that had captured her. Tem and Gin also looked up, surprised that he had come so soon.  
  
"You will all come with me. You are going to be examined by a doctor— We can't sell slaves that are in bad health, can we?" The stringy haired, man grinned, showing his hideous gray-green teeth. His cackle filled the small room, as he led his prisoners to be examined.  
  
"Eh! This un 'as good teeths, she does. An this boy 'ere, too. 'at girl o'er there tried to bite me wit' hers! Theys aren't straight, but theys sure are sharp!"  
  
Tempest grinned at this last bit, only t be rewarded with a sharp slap across her face, by Sorit, as they had learned their captor to be named.  
  
"Don't be smart with the doctor girlie... He's just trying to 'help you,' he is," Soric said, in almost a hiss.  
  
Ella and Gin had passed their health examinations easily, though the doctor had looked at Ella strangely, for her eyes had seemed to be glazed over. The doctor just passed it off as stupidity, but it was, in fact, due to the two tears that had not been allowed to escape from her eyes.  
  
A/N: I will post again on Monday or Tuesday... Just depends on how quickly I come up with the next chapter. Please review! 


	5. The Wooden Block

DISCLAIMER: I feel so stupid when I write these... Does anyone really believe that I could possibly own Ella Enchanted?  
  
ABBY'S NOTE: Well, here it is: The next chapter in Ella Ticked Off. I must say that the title doesn't seem to fit at the moment, but I promise you, it will. Thanks to all of my lovely reviewers! You are all so wonderful! I am sure that you are all very confused by the Reviewer Points that I mentioned last chapter. Well, due to the great idea by Rambling Thestral (One of my best friends!), I will be keeping a tally of all the Reviewer Points that each person gets. You earn reviewer points by reviewing (obviously), though I need to have a real name, not "Anonymous" or "Awaiting Impatient Person." That is just so that I can give credit where it is due. So, if you have used one of those names, please use another name and let me know that it is you. You can also earn Reviewer Points by answering either the Poll of the Chapter or the Riddle of the Chapter. Everyone will earn points for answering the Poll, but only the first person to answer the Riddle correctly will earn the points for that.  
  
So, here is the Riddle of the Chapter: What is Char's little sister's name?  
  
And the Poll of the Chapter: What is your opinion on Char's death: Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Or Don't care?  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"This girl right here will give you no trouble at all! Look at how meek and mild she is! But she's sturdy and in good health! She'd last a long time at hard labor, or you could put her to work as a maid! She can do it all! Let's start the bid at 500!" yelled the salesman in the direction of a large, seemingly well-off crowd.  
  
Ella stood on top of a large wooden block— She was being sold at an auction, just like a prize cow or pig. She would have felt degraded if she had any room left in her heart to be so. She watched as the bids for her services went higher and higher, until just two competitors were left.  
  
One of the two bidders was a solid man that looked like he would beat Ella black and blue if she were to do anything wrong. He was covered in soot, and his fingernails were disgustingly dirty. Ella's other prospective owner did not seem much better than this one, however.  
  
The woman was obviously entering her last years. She had a crooked nose that seemed to have been broken many times. She was dressed in a dark green dress that had been starched so much that the lady looked like a raw green bean. She carried a cane, even though she did not need one for walking, and as Ella noticed this, she also noticed a little boy standing next to her. After careful examination, Ella saw that the child had bruises all up and down his legs, as well as on his face.  
  
Ella did not like either of these prospects.  
  
Gin and Tem watched Ella from the side as she was sold. They were not in a position, however, to see who bought their friend. Then, it was Tem's turn.  
  
"Good luck, Tempest..." Gin whispered.  
  
"Ah, phooey! There ain't no such thing as luck!" Tem said as she was brought out in front of the crowd.  
  
She was sold quickly, for much less money than Ella, to the solid man with the dirty fingernails. She was destined for hard work.  
  
Gin was then brought out to be sold. His price was higher than Tem's, yet it did not reach Ella's total. He was destined to do many things, for he would not stay with the man who had just bought him for very long.  
  
Ella followed her new mistress as though she were not afraid. She followed her new mistress as though she did not wish Mandy were with her. She followed her new mistress as if there was no higher calling in her life than to be a maidservant.  
  
Even though this was how she followed the cranky old fart, she felt that she'd rather be torn apart by a wild bull. In fact, she already felt that way. Her heart cried out for her one true love and for his death. Her heart cried out for Tem's well being. Her heart cried out for Gin and the life of misery she could see in his future.  
  
And yet, she remained poised and calm.  
  
The little boy that she had seen from the wood block tugged on her skirt. He looked up at her with doleful eyes, and whispered:  
  
"You must be good, all the time, or the Lady will beat you. You must stay good all the time..."  
  
He trailed off as they reached the house in which Ella presumed she would be a slave in for the rest of her life.  
  
"Welcome to your new home," cackled the ancient hag in front of her.  
  
A/N: Well. I hope you liked that little chappie. I will put up the next one within a few days... As always, it just depends on how fast I am able to come up with what happens next. I have no idea what is going to happen! Hehe. I do understand that everyone wants me to post faster, though, so I will hurry! Thanks! And don't forget to review!  
  
WynnGurl 


	6. Gossip

DISCLAIMER: Yada Yada Yada  
  
ABBY'S NOTE: Yes, Yes I know. I took forever to write this. What has it been? A week or two? Anyway, I am sorry it has taken me so long. I was in a production of CINDERELLA (Note the Fairy Tale that Ella Enchanted is based on), which is a musical... and no, I was not Cinderella— I was in the ensemble. But it was fun. After that I went to Washington D.C. After that I went to South Carolina for a missions trip. On our free afternoon, we all went to see Ella Enchanted! It wasn't anything like the book at all! EEK! But anyway, I hope you enjoy this. I am going to Florida for a month to visit my grandparents, and they let me on the computer for three hours every night. So, no fear! Abby will produce many, am going to Florida for a month to visit my grandparents, and they let me on the computer for three hours every night. So, no fear! Abby will produce many, many chapters in the next month. OH! And here are your Reviewer Point opportunities:  
  
So, here is the Riddle of the Chapter: In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the book, not the movie), what is something that Hermione and Ron fight about, other than their cat and rat?  
  
And the Poll of the Chapter: Which is your worst fear? Flying? Heights? Bugs? Or something else?  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Ella scrubbed the floors. She was used to doing this, since it had been one of her many chores at Mum Olga's house. Her other responsibilities were to dust and clean each room in the house every day, which was a considerable task to say the least.  
  
Mrs. Evola, as Ella had learned her mistress to be called, was very strict about having each one of the twenty-four rooms in her stately, yet decrepit, house as clean as if they were to be slept in. However, it seemed that everyone in the town despised the woman so much that there was never even a visitor to the old lady. So why would anyone spend the night?  
  
Ella asked herself this question every time she cleaned one of the pristinely neat rooms. They were cleaned every day, whether or not there had been anyone even stepping foot in them since the maids had cleaned it the day before.  
  
One of the other servants came up to her the first day she was there. She introduced herself in a quiet whisper: "My name is Marian. You must always do all of your duties here. Don't be caught having not done them... And the mistress will catch you— She checks every room everyday, and if she finds even a little bit of dust or something out of place, she whips all of us girls. Please don't get into trouble, or we will all be punished."  
  
Marian seemed to be a very shy and timid girl. Ella could see it in her light gray-blue eyes. Something had happened to Marian to cause her to be so subservient, but Ella couldn't decide what it was without knowing her better.  
  
"It is nice to meet you," she had said.  
  
Now, she had been working in the house for an entire week. She learned little of the outside world, as she was confined to the rooms that she so diligently scrubbed. She had made the acquaintances of two other maids other than Marian, for they all slept in the same quarters.  
  
The tall, slightly chunky girl that reminded Ella of Olive was called Mashelia. Her nose seemed to be squashed flat. Her lips were full and she had rosy round cheeks. Ella liked her at once, even though she did look like her annoying stepsister.  
  
The other girl was an imperious hag a little older than Ella was. She had drooping eyes and a mouth hat was permanently set in a sneer. Her nose was always stuck up in the air, for the girl thought herself better than the others. Her name was Simone.  
  
"What is this new filth?" Simone asked when she found Ella sitting down, eating her night's bread and broth on her first day.  
  
"My name is Ella," she said.  
  
"I didn't ask you, you disgusting little girl. Haven't you ever heard of a bath? You smell horrible, and you have dirt all over your face!" the snotty girl said, as she stomped over and took the seat across from Ella. "You know what? I am going to call you Sully, since you're so amazingly filthy. You two girls will call our new arrival Sully, too."  
  
Marian piped up, which must have taken her a lot of courage. "Her name is Ella, and that is what I will call her!"  
  
"You will call her what I tell you to call her!" Simone almost screeched. She apparently did not appreciate being talked back to. "Anyway," she continued, gaining control of herself, "I just heard the saddest bit of news today. You know my beau, Prince Charmont?"  
  
Ella could not believe her ears. She thought that Hattie must have died and come to haunt her. "You and Prince Charmont were never anything." she said, before she could stop herself. She may have been forced to keep all emotions out of her voice, but that did not prevent her from opening up that big mouth of her.  
  
"What... did... you... say... to... me?" Simone asked, almost gasping for breath in her anger.  
  
Ella quickly backtracked. She couldn't afford to have an enemy the first day that she came to a new household. She would have to wait for the second day. "I mean..." she grasped at the air as she tried to come up with a plausible, flattering explanation for her words. "I only meant that you are too beautiful to be with someone like Prince Charmont," she lied through her teeth, hating every word.  
  
Simone relaxed. "Well, yes... There is no man good enough for me... But back to what I was saying— Prince Charmont is, sadly, no longer with us."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ella asked. She wanted to know what had happened to Char, however painful it may be.  
  
Simone obviously enjoyed having an audience. She did a sad imitation of a sniffle as she continued. "He is dead, girls. Our poor Prince is dead. He was in Ayortha when it happened. Apparently he was out riding when he was attacked by ogres! Those nasty beasts were so hungry that they ate him right up... raw! All that was left was a bloody cloak that the King and Queen were given. Now the princess is going to be the heir! How sad!"  
  
Ella couldn't deal with the news and she ran out of the room without finishing her dinner.  
  
A week into her slavery, she had still to hear from either Tem or Gin. She hoped that they had found homes in which they would be fed.  
  
Even though she herself had managed to be sold to a home in which she was fed enough food, she still could not be happy. Her life seemed overly empty without Char. In her loneliness that night, she opened her magic book.  
  
Inside, she found something that startled her. 


	7. Surprise!

DISCLAIMER: I'm dreaming of a whiiiiiite Christmas! J/K No, I still don't own Ella. ï

ABBY'S NOTE: I know! I know! This chapter was a long time coming. And yes, I know that this is a really short chappie, but I wrote it on the plane ride home after finishing my summer homework. School started again. ï ï ï Triple thumbs down!

But I really am going to try to post again within the week.

Guess what! My parents and my sister are going out of town for a week and leaving me at home with my dog! Party at my house! J/K!

Here's the riddle and poll:

Riddle:

In Georgia History, who is Mary Musgrave? (This question will get you 25 points if you can answer it!)

Poll: When does school start for you?

Chapter 7

Ella stared in surprise at the pages in front of her. There was a royal decree within the pages of her book. She stared at it for a few moments with disbelieving eyes:

"Her Royal Highness, daughter of their Majesties, the Princess has disappeared!

It is thought that she has gone to search for her brother, the late Prince Charmont! She is under the belief that he has not died. There will be a reward for finding the grief-stricken princess and bring her back to the castle! 

_Long Live the King!"_

Maybe this was the proof that Ella needed to convince herself that Char was still alive! If even his own sister did not believe in his death, then surely there was hope?

Ella's heart lifted for a mere moment before she realized what had brought her so much hope; the princess was only a young girl— Surely she could not last on her own in the world!

The again, she didn't have Ella's curse of obedience.


	8. Rallying the Troops

DISCLAIMER: I now own the book Ella Enchanted, or at least a copy of it! My good friend, Rambling Thestral, gave it to me for my birthday! But no, I do not own the rights to it.

ABBY'S NOTE: Yes, that last chapter sucked, I know. I really am sorry about that, but I think this chapter will be a bit more satisfactory. It really shows Ella's spunky, and interesting, personality. These last couple of chapters had her too sad and depressed, so I decided to brighten things up a bit. I hope you like it!

Poll of the Chapter:

How old are you and what grade are you in?

Riddle of the Chapter:

If I named my son something, what would it be? (Hint: It's somewhere in my profile)

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Chapter 8

Ella snapped the book shut. This was no time for her to question what she was made of. Ella needed to go after the Princess. This whole house was stifling her as much as the order to not show her emotions!

Ella got off her bed, and went to the table. After writing something down, she stomped back to the kitchen. Upon seeing that the evil Simone had indeed left, she plopped back down at the table.

"Marian," she whispered, turning to the quiet girl. "I need you to do something for me. Will you?"

"Of course," Marian replied, though she looked a bit scared.

"It isn't anything hard; I just need you to read a speech to me, so I can hear it. I wrote it, and I need to know how it sounds. Here." Ella handed over a piece of paper.

Marian unfolded it, looked at Ella again, and began to read aloud:

"No one should have to work in horrible conditions. Every person should be free, no matter what their masters think. If every person that was ever downtrodden would just stand up and fight, no one would ever be able to put them down," Marian's voice became stronger with each word.

"It's all about morale! If you just do what you think is right, you will set yourself free. Don't let someone take over your life! You can do what you want! When somebody tells you to be a nobody, you can still be a somebody! Show your emotions if you want to! You don't have to be a stony faced individual just because an older, or seemingly stronger, person tells you to be. You have a personality, and don't let ANYBODY make you hide it!"

Marian finished breathlessly. Ella sighed a breath of relief. She could be herself now. Her plan to vanquish the order to mask her feelings had been successful. She opened her eyes to see Mashelia sitting with her mouth open, her chubby chin resting on her hands. She closed it with the sound of a goldfish.

Marian turned to Ella, and asked the question that couldn't help coming to her mind: "Ella, why did you write this? Was it for us to hear? Do you mean these things that you have written. Because, if you do, I agree."

Ella nodded. She hadn't only wanted to remove her own orders, she had hoped that she could inspire those who were being stamped into the ground to fight back.

"Here's the thing, Marian... I want you to read this short little speech to the household... And to maybe a larger audience."

"What do you mean by a larger audience?" Marian asked, though her fear had slowly begun to seep away.

"There will be a group of servants and slaves out back in three hours. Can you compose yourself enough to speak then?"

Once Marian had nodded and rushed off to practice, Ella turned to Mashelia. She surveyed the pudgy girl that was sitting directly across from her.

"I need you to gather all of the servants in this house, as well as in all of the houses that are right near here, alright?"

"Okay, but what are you going to do?"

"I have all of the other houses to go to. Just do me a favor, and try to cover up for me if the Mistress asks for me, okay?"

And with that, Ella swept out of the room and out the door.

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Knock, Knock, Knock–— Knock, Knock, Knock–— Knock, Knock, Knock–—

For over two hours, Ella went to each house to rally all of the slaves and servants together. Her feet barely made a sound as she moved between homes. She spoke in less than a whisper as she gave the others the information.

She returned to her mistress' home to find over eighty other people in the backyard, deathly silent.

Marian saw her immediately and rushed to her. "What am I going to do?" she whispered. "I can't speak to this many people. You do it."

"I won't. You are going to do this in two minutes, alright? Go up that tree so everyone can see you. I'll be right there for moral support, I promise."

Marian looked sick to her stomach, but she did as she was told.

Ella was just about to follow her when she was stopped by two of the people that she would never have expected to be there.

"Ella!" Gin and Tem whispered excitedly.

"I knew you had to be behind all of this," Gin whispered.

"How would you know that?" Ella asked.

"Well... It would just be like you, Ella," Gin replied, though he seemed to be hiding something.

"I have to go help Marian right now, but I'll meet you two by the tree stump that looks like a head down the road when this is done."

Ella dashed off to hear Marian give her speech in a quiet, yet commanding voice. She did a superb job, even though she was shaking like mad.

The address had just been finished with much excited muttering among the listeners when a loud voice was heard from the house.

"Mrs. Evola!" came the shriek. "There is a crowd of slaves out back planning a rebellion! Come quickly!"

It was Simone.


	9. Execution

DISCLAIMER: Ladedada... Blah Blah Blah!!!!! There, that's done.

ABBY'S NOTE: Due to lack of interest, "Ella Ticked Off" will be discontinued. In fact, the lack of interest is so deficient that I do not even know why I am writing this note. No one shall read it... So, to my imaginary readers out there, thanks for reviewing!

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Just Kidding. I would never do such a thing, though it must seem like I have since I haven't written in so long. I apologize for my failures as a fan fiction author. Thank you for understanding and being so patient with me. This chappie will be EXTRA long... and, if I do say so myself, extra good. Now, without further ado, I present to you: CHAPTER 9!!!

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Chapter 9

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Ella froze. In all situations that could possibly take place, this was the worst. But, since Ella was not one to be lost for words, she took command once again.

"Everybody!" She yelled. "Run to the outskirts of town! Keep going past there. Go in small groups, and don't get caught! Quick! GO!"

After a moment of indecision, all of the slaves ran in every direction. Ella saw Gin, Tem, Marian, and Mashelia, and she ran to meet them. But she was tackled from behind and brought down. Ella could no more move than the tree stump that she had hit her head on-- Simone had her.

"NOO!" Yelled a male voice in the seemingly receding night. Ella could see Gin struggling to get to her among the swarms of people, though it seemed that she was seeing it through a glass of water.

"Tempest! Get him back! Go, already!"

She saw Tem grabbing hold of Gin, helped by Marian, and dragging him away from the chaos. As soon as they, and the others, were out of sight, Ella slipped into unconsciousness, and the last thing she heard was the laughter behind her-- the laughter of triumph.

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"She's coming to, the wench," said a voice high above Ella. She found that she was sitting in a cell much like that she had been held in when she had first been captured to be sold. In fact... she realized that this was indeed the same exact cell!

She had little time to think on this revelation, since she was then slapped smartly across the face. She saw that the man who had hurt her was the same one that had taken her prisoner what seemed like such a long time ago.

"Ahh, nice to see you, too, wench. You've caused me much grief, you know? Bah!" He hobbled over to the other side of the cell. "Nobody wants a disobedient slave... and that is what you are. But you are even worse than that! You are one of the ones that not only rebels against her master, but you make others do so, too!" The man was enraged. Then, however, he turned and looked at Ella with his ghastly smile. "And you didn't help your little friends in the least bit, dearie. You misled the poor souls, and now they are all dead or worse. Yes," he continued, seeing the horror on Ella's face, "we've caught them all. Some of them put up a fight, but they were beaten quickly. Those that were too tough to handle after capture were executed. Those that are left have been sold to the... South." He said this last bit with a grin.

Ella began to weep in frustration and grief. All of them had been murdered or sold. Those that had been sold would die a slow, agonizing death, since the Southern lands were known for their cruelty to slaves. The best fate for those headed there was to be captured and eaten by ogres. There was some consolation in knowing that Gin and Tem at least would not have had to go through the horrors of the Southern life-- they would have fought to the death instead. But poor Marian and Mashelia.

The man laughed a harsh laugh and left the room. He was quickly replaced by a "visitor" that was not wanted at all: Simone.

Ella stopped her crying at once. "You vile, evil, loathsome wench! You are the thing that keeps this world in perpetual sorrow! I will make you regret what you have done!"

And with that, she flew at Simone. But, she was stopped by a guard before she could reach the girl. He held Ella back so that she could not reach her adversary.

"You think that you can stop me, _Sully_, but you are wrong. You do not know what a heroine I am now that I have stopped your 'friends' from escaping. I am now a rich woman from the money I earned. You see, there's a reward for stopping a slave revolt, and I claimed it. I am so heavily protected that you will never be able to harm me." Simone began to laugh.

Ella's next words came out almost like a hiss, "You will be sorry that I did not get you now. It is better this way, for, when I find you, and I will, it will be when you have forgotten me. You won't know what hit you when I catch you. It may not be now, it may not be in ten years, but I will avenge my friends."

"That's where you are wrong, Sully... You see, the people of this town are very anxious to see you tomorrow, since you lost them all their slaves. They have a present for you... A necklace of rope!"

The guard threw Ella back onto the ground as Simone sauntered out of the room, cackling.

Ella remained on the floor all night. There was nothing she could do but wait for her execution and mourn the deaths of her friends.

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Blinking her eyes in the light, Ella realized that somebody had opened the door of her cell. She could not see after the sudden change from dark to light, so she had no idea who had entered the chamber.

All she heard was a female's voice, echoing after so little sleep. "Fear not, Ella. If you believe, he will come."

And then, the light went out. Ella heard no footsteps, but that didn't seem to matter anymore. She slipped into a deep sleep that was untroubled by dreams.

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Ella awoke when she was shaken by Sorit, the kidnapper. He forced her to stand and pulled her arms behind her. He wrapped a thick rope around her hands so that she could not move them.

She was lead out to almost the same place that she had been sold. The auction block was no longer there, for it was replaced by a hangman's rope. Simone had been right... The whole town had turned up to see her hang.

The crowd jeered at her and threw things at her as she was pushed up onto the platform. Seeing the fatal contraption up close allowed Ella to see that it had been created hastily, in order to carry out the swift judgment. Ella's life was about to end, and there was nothing that she could do about it.

Then, she remembered the words that she had heard the night before from the stranger in the light. "If you believe, he will come."

What had those words meant? No matter, she would just have to believe the words. She hoped and hoped that someone would come to save her as she was made to stand up straight. She prayed that someone would save her as the noose was put around her neck. She called upon her rescuer in her thoughts as the crowd taunted her. But no one came.

At the last moment, as the block was pushed beneath her feet, a noise erupted from behind the crowd. But it was too late... the block was no longer underneath her feet-- she dropped.

The fall did not kill her instantly, since she did not weigh enough for it to break her neck. She struggled as the rope cut into her throat.

Suddenly, she was freed. She fell to the ground and saw Gin above her. The rope had been cut! But more than that, Gin was alive!

After pulling the noose from around her neck (Gin had cut her hands), Ella managed to scramble to her feet with Gin's help. She knew that this was no time to question his sudden rise from the dead, however. She ran with him to the edge of the platform where a horse was waiting. They jumped onto it and rode out of the crowd that was trying to pull them off the speeding animal.

Though they were chased by many that wanted them dead, Gin and Ella made it safely out of town. The last thing that Ella saw when she looked back was Simone having a temper tantrum. Knowing that Simone was angry and that Gin was alive gave Ella the biggest smile that she had been able to muster since this whole thing started.

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After much galloping, Gin finally slowed the horse down to a walk. As soon as they reached a secluded circle of trees, he dismounted and helped her off the horse. After a moment in which Gin seemed to be checking her for wounds, he swept her into his arms in a tight hug.

Ella was surprised, but she hugged him back just as ferociously.

"What happened? They told me that you were all dead or sold to the South!" She asked him this as soon as they'd broken their embrace.

"Like they could have killed us all!" Snorted someone from the trees. "It isn't like we'd go quietly."

"TEM!!! You're alive, too!" Ella exclaimed with happiness as Tem hopped down out of a tree.

"We all are, Ella." Another voice.

Marian and all of the others materialized out of the forest. Ella gaped in amazement, which did not happen very often, since she was very rarely surprised.

"What happened?" She asked again.

Gin explained that they had managed to elude the forces that had tried to capture them. There had been some close calls and some struggles, but each time somebody got into trouble, another person had always stepped in to help out.

"We're all safe, now that you're here. I had to come and get you."

There was a moment's silence, before...

"I told you that if you believed, he would come."

The voice belonged to a girl that Ella recognized, though she had not seen who it had been before. It was the girl from the cell that had given them food... It was...

ABBY'S NOTE: Bum bum bum! Hehe. I hope you like the cliffhanger, though many of you probably already know who it is. Please review, I'd really appreciate it. And, since I forgot earlier, here's the poll and riddle. Merry Christmas!

Poll of the Chapter:

What do you want for Christmas?

Riddle of the Chapter:

Un-mix these letters to find a word that has to do with Fan Fiction: eegiinrvw


	10. Ella and the Princess

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Ella Enchanted, then I would be rich! (Cackle) But, sadly, no.

ABBY'S NOTE: Feel free to yell at me or berate me. I deserve all accusations of laziness and sloth, since I have not written a chapter in almost four months. If you would like to throw tomatoes or other such squashy vegetables at me, I totally understand. I have an excuse, though you will most likely find it unsatisfactory, since it has nothing to do with me writing this chapter. I have been working on a new concept for me. I was inspired by "Finding Neverland." Johnny Depp, possibly the hottest actor ever, tells Peter that he should try to write a play because it was different from other kinds of writing. Well, I thought that that was a good idea. So, I have started to write a play called "Bound" about a character that is a lot like me. Maybe I will post it on my homepage or something so that y'all can edit it for me. That would be great!

But anyway, thank you all for bearing with me. I appreciate your patience. Here are your reviewer point opportunities, and I hope that you enjoy the chapter!

Poll of the Chapter:

If you were a Disney Princess, which one would you be?

Riddle of the Chapter:

Unscramble this sentence: I eikl to aekm my now acerssv hitw giiknntt deeelns.

Chapter 10

"I told you that if you believed, he would come."

It was the girl from the cell that had given them food... It was...

"Yes, it is me... Princess Cecilia."

But it didn't look like her. Ella could swear that Cecilia had looked a lot younger the last time that she had seen her. In the picture in her magic book, her face had been turned away from Ella. Now, looking at her love's little sister, she couldn't believe that the girl was younger than she was.

"Princess Cecilia!" Ella dropped to her knees in fealty to the daughter of the king. "I-- I didn't know that it was you!"

"Ella, stop this!" Cecilia grabbed Ella underneath the elbow and dragged her back up to a standing position. "Just because you are of a lower class and not as good as me, doesn't mean you have to get yourself dirtier than you already are."

"I really should explain a few things to you about what I did... You see... Well, I... It's hard to explain. Umm..." Ella trailed off. She wasn't exactly able to just come out and say that she had treated Prince Charmont like dirt because she loved him. That was a bit difficult.

Cecilia looked at Ella. "We will talk about this later, alright? Right now, we need to get as far away from here as possible. Those villagers want your head, and they will not hesitate to follow us in order to get it. _Come now_."

Cecilia turned to go, and Ella had to follow her, but she talked as she did so.

"Wait just a moment, Your Highness," she said. "Where did that horse that Gin rode up on come from? How did you know that he was coming? When did you get here, and why haven't their Majesties found you yet? How are we going to get away from here with so many people? We don't have that many horses, do we?"

Cecilia stopped and turned around so quickly that Ella ran right into her. "You are so full of questions, aren't you? But that is all right. I shall answer them later, as I said. As for the horses, you are right. However, I was able to... Let's say "commandeer" a few carriages from the townspeople. That is one of the reasons why they were so angry with you."

"I see. That makes quite a bit of sense."

And as Ella said this, they turned the corner to see five huge carriages and about twelve horses in the clearing. Many of the slaves that had been set free were now getting the stagecoaches ready. As soon as she saw Ella and the Princess, Marian came up to give them an update on what was happening.

"The carriages are almost ready, Your Highness," pronounced Marian, as she dropped a curtsy to the Princess. "We will be able to fit all of us into them, except for two, who will have to ride the other horses."

"Very good, Marian. I thank you for your service to the crown."

Marian bobbed another curtsy before returning to what she was doing. Very soon after, the party was on its way. Cecilia appointed Gin and Ella as the line leaders, so they rode the extra horses instead of riding in a carriage.

As the group progressed along a disused country road, Ella looked about. The freedom that she had earned from her oppressive stepfamily had not lasted very long. How long would this freedom from slavery last? Ella decided that this was not the time to worry about such things, so she turned to examine her surroundings instead.

The trees were greener here, and there were quite a few kinds of vegetation that she had never seen before. Light sparkled through the trees, and Ella couldn't help but remember her "Cinder Promenade" from her captivity. So much had changed since then, even though there had been so little time between that point and this travel.

She couldn't imagine why she was being graced with the luck of the ages as she rode through the woods, brambles catching at her horse's feet every once in a while. Normal people would not have been sold into slavery, only to escape it through the workings of the Princess only a short time later.

And now that she thought about it, there was something strange about the Princess. She knew that Ella had broken Char's heart, and, yet, she did not hate Ella. In fact, she seemed to like her. It was also confusing that the Princess had yet to mention her brother throughout the whole trip, though she often poked her head out of the leading carriage to ask about her well being. Wouldn't somebody that had run away from home in order to find her brother ask everyone that had once known him whether or not he or she had seen Char?

It seemed so strange to think that Cecilia might not care what had happened to her brother. That couldn't be so! She must know about his whereabouts, or have a good idea of where to look, right? Maybe she had come to terms with his death? That had to be the worst situation that Ella could imagine. If that was indeed the reason why Cecilia wasn't desperate in her search for Char, then Ella had no hope.

It did not matter that there was no chance that she would ever have a life with him. Ella did not care that she would probably be shunned by him if he ever saw her again. As long as he was alive, none of that would matter!

Every once in a while during their journey through the woods, Gin would strike up a conversation. Ella was pleased whenever he did this, since it seemed to take her mind off Char's probable death. They talked about the way that the road winded this way and that, how the sun filtered through the trees, and how nice the day was.

Not once did they talk about their pasts or that he had saved her from certain death. Ella didn't even thank him, she was so wound up in her thoughts about her Prince Char.

Gin didn't push too hard, even though he wanted to. He wanted her to know that he was glad that she was alive. He wasn't even angry that she hadn't thanked him. He was just happy that she hadn't broken her neck when the villagers had tried to hang her. She was different from the way that he had remembered her, but he couldn't change that.

They finally stopped when the sun reached its lowest point in the sky before dipping below the horizon. The group was lucky to find a river nearby, and that was where they set up camp.

Princess Cecilia had brought a huge tent for herself. She was the only one that had such shelter, but she didn't seem to notice. After a fire had been started, and food parceled out, she called Ella into her tent.

When Ella entered, Cecilia motioned for her to sit down.

"Where did you get all of this?" Ella asked, after noticing the pile of pillows and a beautifully embroidered blanket. "Surely you did not steal these from the Cralitch, as well?"

"Of course not. I brought these with me from home. Just because I left the palace doesn't mean that I can't bring a few of its conveniences with me. But that isn't the point, now is it?" Cecilia sat herself upon an extravagantly decorated pillow next to Ella's. "You had questions for me earlier. Now, I will try to answer them."

Cecilia settled deeper into the pillow as she began her story.

"As you probably already know by now, I ran away from home in order to find my brother, Prince Charmont. We were told that he was killed by ogres and that all that was left of him was a bloody cloak. I could not believe it. The shock of the whole think put me off for a few days, but once I got myself under control, I knew that I had to find him.

"So, I gathered a few provisions, told the servants not to tell my parents that I had left until the next day, and set out. I went to Ayortha first, thinking that I could find his trail from there, since that is where he was supposedly killed. Well, I was right to start there.

"It seems that the ogres that had apparently eaten him were now camped not too far from where I was. I was given their exact location by a man who was smitten with me."

Cecilia suddenly seemed pleased with herself.

"I used my girlish charms to convince him and his comrades to bring me to the ogres. Together, we managed to capture them all. We unfortunately lost a few men, but that couldn't be helped. I interrogated the head of the clan. He claimed that he had never eaten the Prince, but how can you trust an ogre? I sure didn't, especially when he said that in the singsong voice of the evil beasts. So, I figured out a way to be sure about whether or not they had eaten my brother."

She leaned forward, conspiratorially.

"You know that ogres digest things very slowly, right? Well, if they had eaten my brother, he would still be in one of their stomachs. I won't go into any details, but we soon discovered that he wasn't. Sure, we found one or two other people, but they were of no consequence to me.

"So, I continued on my trek with the remaining farm boys in tow. They were good men until they were killed."

Cecilia sighed. She didn't look too sorry. Ella began liking her less and less. There was little reason to have liked her in the first place, except that she was the Princess and Char's sister.

"Well, to make a long story short, I found Char. He was alive but in a horrible condition. I saw you talking with him, so I knew that I could trust you. That girl Tempest was a possible confidante, but she is too much of a dirty wench. I don't know what your history is, but... you seem to be of a more refined nature."

Ella looked up. "What do you mean? Of course you know what my history is."

"Why would I, silly girl? No matter. I suppose that you would like to know which one of your little friends is the true Prince? Well, you don't have to wait any longer."

Ella just stared at her.

"He's alive?"

"Of course! Would I have wasted all of this time on you if you didn't know him?" Cecilia sneered. "I wasn't positive that I had found him, at first, mind you. But I was able to convince the villagers that hanging you would be an excellent idea. If he came to save you, like I thought he would, then he was definitely the Prince."

"So you're saying that Gin is Char?" Ella was happy and surprised at the same moment. Then, however, her mind switched back to what Cecilia had said. "Wait just a minute. Did I just hear you say that you convinced the villagers to hang me? What if Gin, I mean Char, hadn't come to save me?"

"That was a risk that I was willing to take."

"But--"

"Let's not waste any more time on this squabble. I expect that you will want to pay your respects to your Prince?"

And before Ella could say anything, Gin/Char walked in to the tent.

He looked different from the Gin that she had known for the past couple of weeks. He did look more like Char, since he had cleaned up, but he looked... weathered. Older.

"Char? Is it really you? Are you sure that you aren't Gin?"

He stood stiffly away from her. He seemed to not actually want anything to do with her.

"Yes," he said. "It really is me, Ella. Perhaps, though, you would be so kind as to call me Prince Charmont, as that is my name."

"But, Char--"

He looked at her sharply. "Do you not obey an order from your future king? I am pleased that you are still alive after the debacle at the village, but perhaps you took my rescue of you in the wrong way. I have only known you for a few weeks, and that does not facilitate the familiarity that you are so keen on expressing."

Ella was horrified. What was going on? She had known Char for a lot longer than a couple of weeks!

"Now, I would ask you to leave," he continued, without looking at Ella. "I cannot be in the presence of the lower class before I start to be irritated. I am allergic to you all."

Ella stood up. Her confusion had passed and was now replaced by unbound fury. "Excuse me, Your 'Highness'," she spat at him in her most sarcastic manner. "I was not aware that we were such a burden on you. One day, perhaps, you will realize your mistakes in thinking badly about us 'lower class' people."

And with that, she stormed out of the tent, confused and angry.

ABBY'S NOTE: Please, if you write a review (and you better!), don't just say how you want me to write another chapter. Say something about the actual story! Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this nice looong chappie!


	11. Ella Ticked Off Again

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Ella Enchanted, this chapter would have been a lot more punctual.

ABBY'S NOTE: Está aquí finalmente. Un capítulo nuevo. Bueno. No te preocupas-- este capítulo no será en español. Here it is, finally. A new chapter. Good. Don't worry-- this chapter will not be in Spanish. Sorry, yet again, about how long it has taken me to write this chapter. There wasn't a whole lot I could do about it, since I have been occupied with college applications, Senior year, being a lead in The Crucible at my school, organizing costumes for the same play, looking for a job, and creating my own business. As you can tell, I have been a bit busy. Please forgive me.

But some good news! I don't need to fill out anymore college applications, due to the fact that I was accepted to my first-choice school: Georgia Tech! Yay! Rejoices I am very excited if you cannot tell. But... oh well.

Enjoy the chappie! It might answer a few of the questions you guys like to bombard me with. Then again, maybe not... We shall see...

Poll of the Chapter:

Did you see the new Harry Potter movie? Did you like it? Who's the hottest character as of right now?

Riddle of the Chapter:

What does the following Spanish verb mean: Pitufear?

Chapter 11

... "Now, I would ask you to leave," he continued, without looking at Ella. "I cannot be in the presence of the lower class before I start to be irritated. I am allergic to you all."

Ella stood up. Her confusion had passed and was now replaced by unbound fury. "Excuse me, Your 'Highness'," she spat at him in her most sarcastic manner. "I was not aware that we were such a burden on you. One day, perhaps, you will realize your mistakes in thinking badly about us 'lower class' people."

And with that, she stormed out of the tent, confused and angry.

She just could not understand it. Why was Char-- Gin-- Whoever he was, doing this? Ella did not understand all that was going on here, but she knew that she had either been duped by the pair she had left in the tent, or that she was glad she had decided not to marry Char. Either way, she felt like an idiot-- and Ella did not appreciate feeling like an idiot.

She had stormed right out of the tent without paying attention to where she was going, but when she took a moment to collect herself, she realized that she had come to the place where all of the others were camped.

Ella sighed. She could not tell the others that their "savior" was an imposter if she did not have definite proof. For now, at least, she needed to pretend that there was nothing wrong so she could come up with a plan of action.

Sitting next to Mashelia, Marian, and Tempest, who seemed to be getting along quite nicely, Ella shared in their meal; somebody had had their wits about them when they had fled the village and stolen food from their masters. Roast pig was on the menu that night.

While she did not participate in the conversation that was going on around her, she felt a sense of fellowship being with these people who had been through much the same things as she had. When she had finished her rations, Ella noticed that there was somebody in the little group that she was sitting with who she had not met before.

He was tall, and seemed to be older than her. He had a strong jawline and dark red curls. His green cloak complimented his eyes, which were suddenly upon her.

Ella took in a sudden deep breath. She had never been so struck before. There was something in those eyes that took hold of her and wouldn't let go. It was as if they were pulling on her mind and soul, telling her that there was something to this man that sat across from her.

She stood, suddenly free from the man's hold on her. She glanced sideways at him as she noticed that the rest of the group was staring at her, apparently surprised at her abrupt movement. Wishing a good night to them all, Ella quickly grabbed the cloak that she had put on the ground and rushed into the forest.

Sitting on a rock a ways into the wood, she put her head in her hands, unable to explain the events of that day. She had almost been executed, was saved by somebody that she thought was trustworthy, discovered that there was something about Gin she did not care for, and now she had been caught in the entrancing gaze of a man whom she had never met. So much had happened in so little time, and it was a bit overwhelming.

Ella pulled out her little magic book and placed it on her lap. Opening it, it began to glow faintly allowing her to read its contents.

The first page that she turned to had a picture of her old home, Mandy standing in front of it. As she stared at the image, Mandy transformed into her mother. That picture was very comforting, and Ella was glad to have it. Closing the cover of the book, she lifted it to her lips and whispered "Please keep that..."

She quickly stuffed the book under her cloak when she heard a crunching noise nearby. She looked around only to see the man with whom she had connected with before.

Anger rushed into Ella's body. He had no right to spy on her like that! Why had he followed her?

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

He stared at her, surprised at her callous greeting. He had not expected such after they had both felt the bond between them. Carefully, he replied:

"I... only thought that you might want some company... You left so quickly after we... I mean..."

"Go back and tell whoever sent you to give up. I am not going to be a part of this madness. If it weren't for my friends back there, I would be gone already!"

Eyes wide, the man answered, "I do not come on anybody's orders! What had happened to make you suspect that I have?" After a moment, he decided that it was useless to press the subject further. "Never mind. I just thought... Did you not feel that back there? Because if you didn't, then I'll leave, but I cannot imagine that you did not, after the way you reacted when it was broken."

"When what was broken? I have no earthly idea what you are talking about," Ella lied through her teeth. But how could he possibly known that she had felt a... bond between them? She grew angry as she thought about how this man was trying to use her.

"Fine. I do not know who you are, or what your problem is, but if you cannot acknowledge the truth, then I do not want to have anything to do with you." He spat at her feet and turned to leave.

But Ella could not leave well enough alone. She grabbed his arm and turned him back around. "How dare you! You are the one who is trying to pry into my life when you don't even know me, and you claim that **_I_** am the guilty one here? You are mistaken!"

Rounding on her, he grabbed her right above the elbows and shook her. "I put myself on the line coming out here and risking myself for somebody who I hadn't even properly met! And when I finally find the girl that had fled from me, she accuses me of being some traitor to whatever cause she follows. I am not the one at fault here!"

Ella glared up at him. "Spying on a girl is not the work of a gentleman."

"Well, then, perhaps I am not a gentleman. Perhaps you are not a lady! Perhaps I am just a man who knows something real when he sees it, and you a woman who is afraid to grasp something good when it comes her way!"

Ella could not believe her ears. This man really did think that there was something between them, even though they were still strangers to one another. She needed to sit down, but he was still gripping her arms tightly, and she could not break free. She tried to pull away, but he just held on to her more tightly.

Struggling, she looked up at him-- a mistake.

It was as if a lightning bolt had grabbed each of them and pulled them together. Later, neither would be able to explain it to themselves. Time stretched and expanded, transforming a few seconds into the lengthiest hours.

When the connection was broken, so was the man's hold on Ella. Both sat on the ground, not looking at each other. Afraid to.

Quietly, the man muttered, "My name is William."

"Ella," she replied.

ABBY'S NOTE: I threw you for a loop there, didn't I? Didn't I? Hehehe! This should twist a few minds! Review please! Tell me what you think is going to happen!


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